In another concerning incident for aviation safety in Japan, a Korean Air airliner reportedly “struck” a Cathay Pacific plane at New Chitose Airport in Sapporo on Tuesday. Fortunately, both airlines have confirmed that there were no injuries resulting from the collision, but the incident raises questions about airport safety protocols.
This incident comes just two weeks after a near-catastrophic collision at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. In that case, a Japan Airlines plane collided with a smaller coast guard plane during landing, causing a fire. While all passengers on the Japan Airlines plane escaped, tragically, five of the six people on the coast guard plane lost their lives.
Cathay Pacific provided details about the recent incident, explaining that their aircraft was stationary at the time, with no passengers or crew onboard. The Korean Air A330 reportedly struck the Cathay Pacific aircraft while taxiing past. Both airlines affirmed that there were no injuries on board the planes.
Korean Air issued a statement clarifying that the collision occurred due to a third-party ground handler vehicle slipping due to heavy snow during pushback. The airline assured cooperation with relevant authorities in the investigation.
Neither airline disclosed the extent of the damage or the specific cause of the incident. The operator of the airport, Hokkaido Airports, has not provided comments as of now.
Cathay Pacific mentioned that as a result of the collision, their flight CX583 from Sapporo to Hong Kong would not operate as scheduled. While airport firefighters were on standby, there were no confirmed reports of oil leaks or fires following the incident.
Hokkaido, where New Chitose Airport is located, has experienced heavy snowfall recently, with warnings issued in several cities. Reports indicated that 46 flights were canceled on the same day due to the adverse weather conditions.
This incident follows the aviation scare on January 2 at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, where a Japan Airlines Airbus collided with a smaller coast guard plane during landing. The incident raised concerns about safety protocols and prompted the Japanese government to announce tighter air traffic control measures.
As part of the new requirements, a staff member is now mandated to continuously monitor a system alerting control towers to runway incursions. Additionally, controllers are prohibited from informing planes of their take-off position in line to prevent misunderstandings.
Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito emphasized the importance of restoring confidence in aviation as public transport. The ministry also announced the formation of an expert panel to explore further enhancements to safety.
A transcript of communications from the previous incident suggested that the JAL plane was cleared to land, but the coast guard plane was instructed to halt before the runway. The investigation revealed a possible misunderstanding, leading to the tragic collision.
Over the last decade, the Japan Transport Safety Board reported at least 23 “serious incidents” risking runway collisions. In five of these cases, air traffic control mistakes were suspected as contributing factors, emphasizing the need for heightened safety measures in the country’s aviation sector.